U-M fraternity suspensions: Students stunned by Greek life crackdown

All Greek Life social functions at the University of Michigan have been suspended by the student-run Interfraternity Council.

Wochit

ANN ARBOR — On the first true cold Friday of the school year, the University of Michigan's campus was full of the normal chatter of university life - complaints about classes, discussions about projects and talk about weekend plans.

But in the coffee shops around campus, in the gathering spaces on campus, there was an undercurrent of surprise running through the student body - what's happening with the frats?

Students walk along South State Street through the Ann Arbor campus of the University of Michigan ...more

Students walk along South State Street through the Ann Arbor campus of the University of Michigan in this 2014 file photo.

"I saw it on Twitter and couldn't really believe it," said junior Mark Ryan, 20, of Novi. "I told my roommate and we couldn't figure it out. That's like the core of Greek life - the parties."

Even more surprising, the reasons for the suspension. Allegations of multiple sexual assaults involving fraternity members, serious hazing incidents and a large number of students being transported to the hospital from various parties the weekend of the Michigan-Michigan State football game.

"As an Interfraternity Council community, we believe in holding our members to a high
standard at the University of Michigan. It has come to our attention that some members of the Interfraternity Council community have not been living up to these standards," Alec Mayhan, IFC executive vice president said in a statement issued late Thursday night.

"In the interim, we are suspending all social activities and new member education programs. We will be working with our national organization partners to ensure that our programs are in alignment with our policies and values.

"We will immediately begin the process of assessing our policies and practices and developing a formal plan going forward."

Members of the IFC board did not respond to requests for comments. Multiple members of various fraternities declined to comment when approached Friday on campus by a Free Press reporter.

"Does that mean all parties at (the frats) are shut down?" said sophomore George Thomas, 19, of Ann Arbor. "Or is it just the big official events? I'm really surprised they did this."

The university administration was scrambling Friday to investigate all the allegations raised.

"The university is actively and vigorously investigating these reports," U-M spokeswoman Kim Broekhuizen told the Free Press. "The first concern is the safety of our students. IFC leaders took action last night, on their own, recognizing it
was the right thing to do. They are halting social activities and new member education efforts for the rest of fall semester. IFC leaders are now focused on a chapter-by-chapter assessment and charting a safer path forward for their community."

The ban includes:

All parties at fraternity houses, which are located just off campus.

Induction of new members, unless the various national organizations are in town to supervise activities.

The houses remain open and students can continue to live in them.

Sophomore Melissa Lewis, 19, of Grand Rapids said she has been to a couple of parties at frat houses this year.

"They didn't seem like anything really bad was going on, at least the ones I went to," she said. "But I have heard there were some that were just out of control. If there really was all that bad stuff going on, I'm glad the (IFC) stepped in and canceled stuff where bad things were happening."

Senior Mary Thelen, 21, of Lansing said she walked by a bunch of parties on the Michigan-Michigan State game day.

"They were crazy and a few ambulances went past us while we were walking," she said. "I'm surprised (the IFC) took action. It seems like nothing happens until it gets really bad and then the university shuts people down."

In 2015, following reports of wild parties involving fraternity members, U-M President Mark Schlissel called on Greek life to reform itself.

But unless "the students moderate some of the risky behavior ... they may naturally wither and people may want to stop joining them," Schlissel said. “There is a culture problem not only among students of Greek life but significantly inside of Greek life having to do with the overuse of alcohol, which really does need to be moderated.”